der
Cousin
👨👩👧👦 What does "der Cousin" mean?
Der Cousin refers to a male relative, specifically the son of one's aunt or uncle. It describes a collateral relative of the same degree.
- Masculine: The word Cousin is masculine and uses the article der.
- Feminine: The female equivalent is die Cousine (the daughter of an aunt or uncle).
🚨 Attention: In German, the word der Vetter also exists and is often used synonymously with der Cousin, but its usage might vary regionally or be perceived as slightly older.
Article rules for der, die, and das
Male characters → always masculine.
Caution: Most professions also have their feminine forms (e.g. die Polizistin). Some words can also have two forms: der/die Deutsche, der/die Kranke.
🧐 Grammar in Detail: Der Cousin
"Der Cousin" is a masculine noun. Here is its declension:
| Case | Article | Noun |
|---|---|---|
| Nominative | der | Cousin |
| Genitive | des | Cousins |
| Dative | dem | Cousin |
| Accusative | den | Cousin |
| Case | Article | Noun |
|---|---|---|
| Nominative | die | Cousins |
| Genitive | der | Cousins |
| Dative | den | Cousins |
| Accusative | die | Cousins |
Example Sentences
- Mein Cousin wohnt in Berlin. (My cousin lives in Berlin. - Nominative Singular)
- Das ist das Auto meines Cousins. (That is my cousin's car. - Genitive Singular)
- Ich gebe meinem Cousin ein Geschenk. (I give my cousin a present. - Dative Singular)
- Ich besuche meinen Cousin am Wochenende. (I visit my cousin on the weekend. - Accusative Singular)
- Meine Cousins kommen zur Familienfeier. (My cousins are coming to the family celebration. - Nominative Plural)
- Wir treffen uns mit den Cousins im Park. (We are meeting the cousins in the park. - Dative Plural)
💬 How to use "der Cousin"?
"Der Cousin" is used in everyday language to describe the family relationship.
- Context: Conversations about family, relatives, family trees, social relationships.
- Formality: The word is neutral and can be used in both formal and informal contexts.
- Distinction: It's important to distinguish between der Cousin (male) and die Cousine (female).
- Synonym "Vetter": Der Vetter can be used synonymously, but might be less common in some regions or among younger speakers compared to der Cousin. Cousin is often considered more modern or international.
Example: "Mein Cousin ersten Grades ist der Sohn meiner Tante. Mein Cousin zweiten Grades ist der Enkel meiner Großtante." (My first cousin is my aunt's son. My second cousin is my great-aunt's grandson.)
💡 Mnemonics to Remember
Mnemonic for the Article (der):
Think: 'Der' is the masculine article, and a Cousin (in this case) is a male relative. So, der boy, der Mann, der Cousin.
Mnemonic for the Meaning:
Imagine your aunt or uncle's son – he's your couSIN. The word sounds very similar to the English 'cousin', making it relatively easy to remember it refers to a cousin. Just remember the 'der' specifies the male cousin.
🔄 Synonyms & Antonyms
Synonyms:
Similar but Misleading Words:
😄 A Little Joke
Fritzchen fragt seinen Cousin: "Du, sag mal, können unsere Väter eigentlich Brüder sein?"
Meint der Cousin: "Blödsinn! Dann wären wir ja nur ein bisschen verwandt!"
Translation:
Little Fritz asks his cousin: "Hey, tell me, can our fathers actually be brothers?"
The cousin replies: "Nonsense! Then we'd only be slightly related!"
📜 A Short Poem
Mein Cousin, der wohnt nicht weit,
Für Spiel und Spaß stets bereit.
Ob Sommerhitze, Winterkalt,
Zusammen sind wir niemals alt.
Ein Freund, durch Blut verbunden,
Hab' in ihm stets Halt gefunden.
Translation:
My cousin, he doesn't live far,
Always ready for fun and play, no matter how bizarre.
Whether summer heat or winter cold,
Together, we never grow old.
A friend, connected by blood,
In him, I've always found support, understood.
❓ Riddle Time
Ich bin der Sohn von deiner Tante,
oder deines Onkels, dem Bekannten.
Nicht dein Bruder, das ist klar,
wer bin ich denn, Jahr für Jahr?
Translation:
I am the son of your aunt,
or your uncle, the acquaintance you grant.
Not your brother, that is clear,
who am I then, year after year?
Lösung/Solution: Der Cousin (The male cousin)
ℹ️ Trivia
- Origin: The word Cousin comes from French (cousin) and has become established in German.
- Degree of Relationship: Cousins (first cousins) are third-degree relatives (sharing the same grandparents). Second cousins share great-grandparents, and so on.
- Female Form: Don't forget the female form: die Cousine.
Summary: is it der, die or das Cousin?
The word Cousin referring to a male relative (son of an aunt/uncle) is always masculine: der Cousin (plural: die Cousins).